Sunshine Coast Black Market Espresso Bar owner excited for new venture

A Sunshine Coast cafe owner with a growing fanbase has revealed his past life as a former special forces captain and renowned jeweller. Read why he’s back in business.

A Mooloolaba cafe owner fast building one of the area’s most popular venues has revealed his colourful past life as a former South African special forces captain.

Black Market Espresso Bar owner David Rodrigues, 60, said life in the area was a “fresh start” having fought the Soviet Union and been targeted by robbers at his jewellery store in his previous life.

Mr Rodrigues and his second wife, Rene, took charge of the River Esplanade business in December, 2021.

Mozambique-raised Mr Rodrigues also owns Lake Kawana Jewellers in Birtinya.

He revealed he joined the special forces navy unit in 1980 and spent 13 years in the force.

Black Market Espresso Bar owner David Rodrigues and his wife, Rene Rodrigues. Picture: Asa Andersen.

Mr Rodrigues, a captain for his unit, said his team performed underwater demolition, once befriended a young lion at a training camp, and fought against the Soviet Union in the Angolan Civil War in Angola, Africa.

Once he left the military Mr Rodrigues said he started selling jewellery on a small table outside a supermarket in 1993 because he needed extra cash to support his family.

This side-hustle soon boomed into a jewellery empire, leading him and his former wife to open six jewellery shops and a jewellery wholesaler, selling to 1200 stores.

But Mr Rodrigues said that chapter ended when he and his former wife separated, leaving him with the wholesale side of the empire, which later got robbed.

“They took everything,” he said.

In 2018, Mr Rodrigues said he and his second wife moved to the Sunshine Coast, opened a jewellery store and bought the cafe.

Mr Rodrigues said moving to the region and starting new ventures was like a fresh start.

He said he bought the cafe partly because he had spare time on his hands and was confident he could manage it.

“When you’ve done bigger things, other things seem minor,” he said.